


Love in the Time of the Reaper

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: Drama, F/M, Romance, post-episode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-20
Updated: 2011-10-20
Packaged: 2017-10-24 19:25:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/267001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>She had her job and he had his…that was the game.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Love in the Time of the Reaper

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILERS FOR 100.

“The price of gold, David?”

He looked at her as she looked at him. Erin was in bed reading True Compass. Her reading glasses rested on the bridge of her nose as she turned another page.

“You should be concerned about such things.” He said. “You won't be happy taking care of me in my old age because I've improperly invested my earnings.”

“You were being difficult on purpose and it was unnecessary.”

“You're trying to hang Hotch when he…”

“I'm doing my job.” She cut him off. “Perhaps if you opened your ears and your mind instead of your mouth you would see that.”

“We followed procedure to the letter like we always do.” Dave replied.

“Oh please. The entire incident had inappropriate written all over it. The escape of George Foyet was not a BAU case; federal marshals had jurisdiction.” Erin closed her book and put it on the nightstand. “Aaron Hotchner pulled his entire team and two tech analysts into a pursuit that he had no business being in in the first place.”

“Foyet was taunting him. He was going after Haley and Jack.”

“I understand, David. Even if you think I don’t, I really do. But there were people who were doing their best to handle it. It wasn’t his place to use his position in the Bureau to put an end to it. As if that wasn’t bad enough, some things could be overlooked; he killed a man with his bare hands. Not even you can deny the magnitude of that. There is self defense and there are situations that are cause for serious concern.”

“George Foyet was a monster.” Dave said. “I don’t plan to shed any tears for him. Out of nothing but twisted vengeance he stabbed Hotch nine times. And when that didn’t break him, the bastard went after his family. He killed a U.S. Marshal who did everything in his power to keep him away from Haley and Jack. Then he found them, and pumped three bullets into Haley while Hotch and the whole team listened. I don’t even want to imagine the plan he had in store for a scared four year old boy hiding in a toy chest. I don’t plan on losing a wink of sleep knowing he’s no longer in the world.”

“There are proper channels…”

“Stop.” Dave held up his hand. He came to sit on the bed. “He needed to die Erin; he’d done enough harm to this world. We will just have to agree to disagree on everything else. Hotch was fighting for his own life and his son’s. Let me put it to you this way, if Foyet had done that to you I would still be washing his blood from my hands.”

“David, two wrongs don’t make a right.” Erin replied, feeling his words deep in her soul. “This is my job…there has to be an inquiry. Don’t hamper my doing my job.”

Rossi nodded. He didn’t like it; none of the team liked it. Still, she was right. If it wasn’t Strauss pulling them in to sit under the hot lights it would be some other official. This was the way the Bureau did things.

Dave would never regret what happened in pursuit of George Foyet except that Haley lost her life. He was never going to help anyone put a nail in Hotch’s coffin or any of his teammates’. She had her job and he had his…this was the game. Sighing, Dave caressed her face.

“Your Strauss face was particularly on point this afternoon.” He said, leaning in for Eskimo kisses.

“Shut up, David.” Erin didn’t want to smile but she did.

“Aha, there it is. There's that beautiful smile.” Dave kissed her lips. “You are so beautiful.”

“Don’t you dare try and get on my good side now.” She replied in her stern tone.

Dave didn’t quite know where he was. She frequently used the “Strauss” tone to turn him on but this was a valley filled with landmines and booby traps. He didn’t like to pretend that it wasn’t extremely difficult sometimes.

Butting heads with the woman he loved wasn’t an activity he relished. There were no plans for either to back down from their respective positions so it was better to just move on. The past 48 hours had been agonizing for everyone; all Dave wanted to do was hold Erin in his arms. He wanted to undress her, feel her body on his, and know they were both alive. George Foyet was dead and they were alive.

“I love you,” He kissed the tip of her nose and then her lips. “I love you, baby baby.”

“I love you too.” Erin deepened the kiss, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him closer.

That was all Dave needed. She might still be peeved; she might be pissed…that was Strauss’ problem. Erin wanted to be kissed, she wanted to be loved, and her man could always give her what she wanted. She pulled the blanket back, allowing him to slip into bed with her.

“I thought the no clothes in rule bed was established some time ago.” He murmured between kisses. It didn’t take much effort to unbutton the top and slide it down her arms.

“I honestly didn’t think I’d see you tonight.” Erin moaned as his fingers explored her skin. “I thought we…mmm, David.”

He smiled, sliding her satin pajama pants down her legs. Erin slid her leg over his while Dave stroked her skin.

“You’ve spoiled me.” He replied, tongue running along her collarbone. “I only want to sleep with you, Erin. I want to feel you and be close.”

She couldn’t argue with that and she wouldn’t. It felt so good to be with Dave, to be touched by him. No one in their right mind would deny the mixture of their chemicals always led to a spectacular explosion. He stuck around for the past two years, through ups and downs, so Erin wanted to think it was more than just sex. David Rossi could get sex anywhere.

He could get it from young, wanton women with no strings attached. He was handsome, rich, and adventurous…he was surely beating them off with a stick. Yet Erin always believed him when he said he loved her. Despite the schizophrenia of keeping Rossi and Strauss separate from Dave and Erin, they put a lot of work into it. She couldn’t believe it was successful; at least it had been so far.

“Oh God, oh God, David!” Erin buried her face in his shoulder as his hand brought her to climax. She whimpered, gripping his hips as the waves of pleasure rippled through her body. “Mmm, damn…”

Dave slid his hand across his lips and then licked them. He kissed Erin passionately.

“You taste so damn good. Taste it baby.”

She ran her tongue over his lips repeatedly. Dave growled, slipping his fingers in her mouth. Erin sucked them greedily; it was the hottest thing he’d ever seen.

“Damn baby, oh my God.”

“Fuck me.” Erin whispered when he pulled her to him.

“Say it again.”

“Fuck me, David…now!”

Dave turned her onto her side, pressing his body into hers. He stroked her ass as she moved her thighs apart. Erin was ready…he made her so hot. He slipped inside of her with ease, thrusting once before stilling. Erin moaned loudly. Her head lolled back as her hand moved up to caress his face.

“Say it again.” Dave said.

She did, and he didn’t disappoint. He had been with plenty of women in his time. He wasn’t ashamed to admit that. He was nearly 55 years old and enjoyed the company of women. Still, everyone knew that David Rossi was a picky bastard.

Any woman could be beautiful on the outside; some worked at it and some didn’t. He liked beauty, he wasn’t a blind man, but she also needed to be able to keep up with him. Highly intelligent, razor sharp wit, fun, funny, sexy, sexual; a woman needed to leave Dave breathless. Imagine his surprise when thirty years after their initial encounter, Erin Strauss still did. She also still matched Dave’s sexual voracity. They were equals on every level and he knew that was crucial to them both.

Dave thrust deeper, feeling Erin quiver against him. She took his hand and moved it between her thighs. She needed release but Dave wasn’t ready.

“David…”

He even thought her whine was sexy. That was a clear sign that the man was goner.

“Shh, baby, you know it’s always worth the wait.”

He was so close and he wanted them to come together. When they were able to connect that way their lovemaking was even more satisfying. So Dave held back, worked it slow, made her whimper and grip the sheets. He waited until he thought he would explode and then let her pull him under. It didn’t take much to make Erin climax. She was already eager from the first go round and his teasing only made her more so.

“Oh, ohhh, yes, yes, oh yes!”

They fell together, Dave moaning her name into her soft blonde hair. And then there was that beautiful silence. He sprinkled kisses across her shoulders while gently sliding away from her. There was a little distance between them when Dave turned onto his back. Exhaustion kept it that way for a little while. Then Erin turned on her stomach and looked at him.

“What?” Dave stroked her cheek.

“Nothing.” She shook her head.

“Something’s on your mind.”

“I won't deny that. We don’t need to talk about it right now.”

“What do you want to do?” Dave held his arms open and Erin cuddled close.

“Sleep, David. How did you expect me to be anything but exhausted after that?”

“I still got it?” He asked grinning.

“You're alright…for a man your age.”

“Ooh, you little…” Dave started tickling her. Erin squirmed all over the place. She was giggling like crazy. He was madly in love with her manic giggle; sure he was the only one who ever heard it.

“David…David!”

“Take it back.”

“Never!”

“Take it back.” His voice remained calm as her laughter reached a fever pitch.

“David…STOP!”

He did, smirking. Erin smacked his chest as he pulled her close again. He kissed her breathless.

“I love you, Erin.”

“Will you still feel that way no matter how this inquiry turns out?” She asked.

“Yes. I don’t take those words lightly, you know that about me. I also think in the end that everyone will do the right thing. We’ve all been through enough.”

Erin nodded but didn’t respond. She was petrified of losing him even if she’d never admit it. He was the damn profiler; she probably wasn’t keeping it from him anyway. This, this damn Foyet thing, threatened to rip everything apart at the seams. She just sighed, kissing his heartbeat.

“I love you too, David. Goodnight.”

He reached over to turn out the lamp, letting the darkness engulf them. It took awhile for Erin’s body to finally relax on his. Dave stroked her hair until her slightly worried breathing became calm. His heart ached for Hotch. They had all been exposed to Foyet’s deadly plan and they were holding on to whatever was left tonight.

Dave was grateful to know that Hotch had Prentiss and he had the woman he loved. She was the woman who held it all in her hands. Foyet thought he could destroy them but he failed. Strauss might still succeed.

***


End file.
